Dog Pound Weekly

Published on January 25, 2006 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Bozeman Icedogs News Release


The momentum keeps building for the ICEDOGS, the wins keep coming and so do the fans! After two convincing victories over the Wichita Falls Wildcats last weekend, the 'DOGS are facing two games against a Helena Bighorns squad that has challenged them in every game this season.

The Bighorns (10-25-5) are fighting for their season, sitting in last place with over two-thirds of the season behind them. They are 2-6-2 in their last ten games, with one win against Bozeman and another against Billings. Helena is led by #39 Tibor Kutalek (42 pts.) and #9 Jeff Olitch (40 pts.). Watch for the ICEDOGS' stingy defense to try to stop them from adding more points to their impressive totals.

The Bozeman Blackhawks' Chris Brogan recently committed to Penn State University. Chris and his fellow Blackhawks play the Spokane Flyers tomorrow night at 7:35 pm in their only game of the weekend. Their home game next Thursday against Butte is at 7:35 pm, not 3:00 pm as indicated on the team's schedule cards.

ICEDOGS Looking for Number Ten after Sweeping Wildcats

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The Bozeman ICEDOGS have once again put together a multi-game winning streak, and look to hold the league's longest two streaks of the season, heading into a home and home series with the Helena Bighorns. The ICEDOGS, perfect since the Christmas break, swept the Wichita Falls Wildcats last weekend to set themselves in perfect position for the second longest winning streak of the season, but before anyone could think about number ten, the ‘DOGS had to finish off the Wildcats.

Bozeman cruised to a 6-1 victory over Wichita Falls on Friday night, and toppled a much better effort from the Wildcats on Saturday 5-3. Friday night, the NAHL was once again reminded that the Boys from Bozeman are for real this season, as they disposed of the south division's Wildcats. Josh Heidinger led the ICEDOGS with another two goal performance as the 'DOGS held the Wildcats to a shutout until the final 4:30 minutes of the game. Heidinger, who added an assist to go with his goals, was tied with Carter Camper of the Cleveland Barons with 61 points on the season at the end of the night.

Also contributing to the victory was Luke Bennett, with a goal and two assists. Ryan Bunger and Mike Schumacher added goals, and Phil Johnson picked up his first points as an ICEDOGS with a goal and an assist. Matt Dalton earned his 22nd win on the season, stopping 21 of 22 shots. After Friday nights dominating performance, the Bozeman ICEDOGS knew they had to back it up if they wanted to complete the sweep against Wichita Falls. The Wildcats, challenged from their coaching staff to put on a better performance, came out charging against an ICEDOGS team that wasn't at its best. However, the Boys from Bozeman found a way to win, pulling off a 5-3 victory in front of 2,000 fans at the Valley Ice Garden.

The ICEDOGS swept the Wildcats without their best effort on the season, and Coach John LaFontaine knew it. "We have some work to do," Coach LaFontaine said after the game. "We didn't play our best, and we have to prepare for Helena next week. They beat us last time and always play us tough, but tonight, we found a way to win and that is all that matters."

As the ICEDOGS prepare for Friday night's battle with the pesky Bighorns from Helena, the ICEDOGS will have one thing on their mind, "one game at a time." Bozeman Coach John LaFontaine will stress the same mentality that went into the 20 game winning streak earlier this season, and that was; "just take it one game, and one weekend at a time." If you were to ask Coach LaFontaine about the current streak his team is on, he wouldn't talk about the ten game streak, but instead respond with, "A two game winning streak in nice, but next week we start fresh." The approach worked earlier this season and for the ICEDOGS, the approach will be the same as they head for ten in a row on Friday night in Helena.

Spotlight On #7 Phil Johnson

Q: Tell us a little about your playing background. A: I started playing hockey when I was three, and played in the recreation leagues for two years. When I was a PeeWee I joined the Duluth East league and played there through High School. I was a three-year varsity player for Duluth East High School and during my junior and senior years we made the Minnesota High School State Tournament, finishing third as a senior. Last year I went to play in the USHL for the Des Moines Buccaneers. I started this season with them but was sidelined with injury. Des Moines released me just before Christmas and Coach LaFontaine asked me to come to Bozeman.

Q: What is your favorite playing career memory so far? A: Playing in the Minnesota High School State Tournament in front of a large TV audience and 20,000 fans is awesome. The State Tournament has a lot of meaning to my family and is rich in tradition. My grandpa won the State Tournament with St. Paul Johnson in 1953, so getting to play in an event that has been around so long and sharing the experience with my Grandpa was cool.

Q: How do you prepare for a game? A: I wake up, take a shower, then grab a bagel and some fruit as I head to the pre-game skate. After practice I head home and start to hydrate for the game. I just relax until around 1:00 pm when I eat a big meal. I usually have pasta with chicken or another form of protein. After eating, I relax a little more which may include a short nap. After another shower, I head to the rink where I try to keep to myself. I stay quiet; sit in my stall with a towel over my head and just focus on the game.

Q: What are your plans after you are done playing juniors? A: This is my last year of eligibility so I have to start looking for colleges. I want to play Division I hockey somewhere, and Coach is helping me find the right school for me. I think I want to major in Business Management or go into a pre-dental program.

Q: What do you like best about Bozeman? A: The team and the organization are great. I played in Iowa last season, and Montana is totally different then the Midwest. I am a typical Minnesota outdoor kid and you cannot get the experiences in Iowa that you can out here. It reminds me of home, although I haven't had the chance to do a whole lot since I just got here a few weeks ago, but I hope to fish and hunt come spring.

Miscellaneous News, Notes, and Happenings

The ICEDOGS will be participating in the City of Bozeman's SnowFest 2006 ice skating lessons on Sunday February 12th. They will be a part of the "Winter Carnival." Other events such as snow sculpture contests and snow games will be going on at the same time. Free hot chocolate will also be served. It will be on Sunday, February 12th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at the Beall Park on North Black and Villard Street. Lessons will be offered to the public free of charge at the following times: 1:00p.m., 1:30p.m., 2:00p.m., and 2:30p.m.

Congratulations to John Hinkle who won tickets to the game this weekend. He was randomly selected among those submitting an online survey since the last game.

Do you want to get inside the mind of the ICEDOGS' top scorer? If so, visit the team website and click on the "Ask Heidz" icon. You can send an e- mail asking Josh anything you want whether about hockey, love, money, or anything you would like advice about--and then see his reply online.

The ICEDOGS will be teaming up with the For One Another Cancer Family Network in their annual Tip-A- Dog event from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on February 8th at Old Chicago. The players will be helping wait tables and other restaurant tasks and donating their tips to the Cancer Family Network. This year the ICEDOGS hope to beat the Bulls and Bighorns for the first time in raising money!

The ICEDOGS have released their ticket pricing for 2006-07 season, with modest increases on both walk- up and season rates. This will be the first time since 2001 that regular game tickets have been increased, when they went to $10 from their 1997-2001 price of $9.50 . Season tickets have not increased since 1999 when they went to $275 from their 1997-1999 rate of $260 . Click here to see the new 2006- 07 rates! The Flex 32 and Flex 18 packs have been discontinued, and a Flex 6 pack will be available beginning in October.

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Which NHL team was the first to put the players' numbers on the sleeve of the hockey jersey?

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North American Hockey League Stories from January 25, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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